House passes bill to protect children from unsafe toys

State Rep. Chelsa Wagner, D-Allegheny, said legislation she co-sponsored that would strengthen Pennsylvania's consumer protection laws by targeting unsafe toys and other children's products passed the state House.

Ms. Wagner said the bill (H.B. 1431) would make it a crime in Pennsylvania to knowingly sell recalled children's products and give the state attorney general and local district attorneys the authority to prosecute such offenses.

"This legislation is designed to reassure parents, grandparents and all others who purchase toys and other products for young children that these products are safe," Ms. Wagner said. "Toys that have been deemed to be unsafe or have been recalled simply should not be on store shelves. We must put a stop to the dozens of children who are injured every year by unsafe toys and products."

Ms. Wagner said this bill would also require the state attorney general to establish a Website that would provide links to lists of all national agencies that deal with consumer product safety and product recalls. The products identified by any of these lists would be restricted from sale or commerce within Pennsylvania.

The bill would also require manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and distributors to notify their customers and retailers of recalled children's products within 24 hours of the announced recall. Retailers would then have three days to remove recalled items from their shelves.